Chapter 169 Meritorious Service Report
When Kobdo came to report, Charles, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan and others were about to go to the officers' mess to have lunch together.
Kovdo's arrival surprised Xiaer. He had called Kovdo at around 10 o'clock, and now it was only 12 o'clock, but Kovdo was already in front of him. This was about the time he arrived at the city defense headquarters.
Charles introduced Lieutenant Colonel Fernan and others: "This is Kobdo, the editor-in-chief we told you about!"
Lieutenant Colonel Fernan and others exclaimed "Wow!" and stepped forward to shake hands with Kobdo:
"Mr. Editor-in-Chief, we are going to have our own newspaper soon, right?"
"Can I sign up first? Please interview me first!"
"Get lost, Kurt! This isn't something you can just stand in line for!"
…
The enthusiasm of Lieutenant Colonel Fernando and others made Cobb feel a little relieved.
"Come on, Kobdo!" Charles didn't ask any more questions. He took Kobdo to the restaurant and said, "You've come at the right time. This will be your restaurant from now on. You can get familiar with it first!"
Then he picked up a buffet plate and handed it to Kovdo: "Take whatever you like!"
Kobdo was stunned for a moment. He looked at the officers with military ranks around him and asked nervously, "Can I?"
"Of course!" Charles answered, spooning himself some beef stew and mashed potatoes. "You are already a second lieutenant in our records, but we haven't issued you the draft order and the uniform yet!"
Kobdo hurriedly followed: "Yes, sir, it's my honor!"
Charles took another cup of coffee, took a sip and waited for a while.
After picking up two pieces of steak, Kobdo hesitated. He actually wanted to pick up a third piece, but after secretly glancing at others, he finally gave up.
Charles smiled and said that he would get used to the food here in the future and there would be plenty of opportunities.
As they walked to their seats, Charles turned the conversation to work: "We might need some printing presses. Do you know where to buy one?"
"Yes, sir!" Kobdo followed Charles and sat across the small table: "Schneider sells the 'Triumph' offset printing machine!"
Then he emphasized: "Made in Germany, about 2,000 francs each!"
Charles laughed. It turned out that the printing press used by Kaichuang Military Newspaper was made in Germany and had to be purchased from the rival Schneider.
"We need about 10 of them!" Charles said as he ate. "What's most urgent is that we popularize the use of 'hand grenades' among the army!"
"Hand grenade?" Kovdo looked up at Charles: "Hand grenade used in the attack on Lafox?"
"Yes!" Charles was quite surprised at Kobdo's well-informed information. Many people still didn't know about the existence of grenades.
"We need to popularize it throughout the army!" Charles said, "But many soldiers don't know how to use it, so a series of accidents have occurred. This is the first task that the military newspaper must complete!"
Kobdo nodded slightly, and gradually got into the state when talking about work.
He expertly cut the steak and put it into his mouth, and answered thoughtfully: "If that's the case, then 10 printing presses may not be able to meet our needs!"
"What?"
Kovdo explained: "One printing press can only print 8,000 copies per hour at most. Even if 10 printing presses are running non-stop, they can only print 80,000 copies per hour, not counting mechanical failures and paper allocation. In addition, we may only have two to three hours of printing time before sending out the newspaper."
Only then did Charles understand that reporters needed to collect data and information during the day, write articles, and then typeset and make plates before they could be printed.
Therefore, if a newspaper needs to be delivered to customers before dawn, 10 printing presses are obviously not enough.
"If we consider that the newspaper will also be distributed to the public, we estimate that we need to print at least 300,000 copies!" Kobdo explained, "200,000 of which will be given to soldiers on the front line, and 100,000 will be for the public. We will consider increasing or reducing the printing volume depending on sales!"
"Then 20!" Charles said, "20 should be enough, right?"
Kovdo shook his head: "At least 50, we have to be prepared."
"What preparations?" Charles asked doubtfully.
Kobdo stopped what he was doing and looked at Charles, saying with a firm gaze: "Once our newspaper circulation increases significantly and the printing press is controlled by Schneider..."
Charles immediately understood that the price of purchasing a printing press would not be just 2,000 francs per unit, but might be several times higher according to the military's usual practice of purchasing equipment.
"No problem, just 50 machines!" Charles took a look at Kobdo's casual clothes and said, "You are responsible for these, Mr. Kobdo. Before you receive the conscription order, you can purchase these printing machines as a private person and find a suitable place to set up the newspaper headquarters!"
"Yes, sir!"
"You can go to the town of Darwaz and ask Mr. Deyoka for an advance!" Charles said, "I've already told him!"
"Yes, sir."
"Can you drive?" Charles asked again.
"Yes, sir!"
"Very good!" Charles raised his eyebrows: "After you get the advance payment, go buy a car first, this will improve your work efficiency!"
Kovdo was dumbfounded. He was given a car right away? God, this was something that an ordinary worker could only buy if he didn't eat or drink for several years!
After he realized what was happening, he quickly expressed his gratitude, and at the same time he sighed in his heart that doing things with Charles was different. He had made the right bet on this, and he had reached a turning point in his life.
…
After seeing Kobdo off, Xiaer went upstairs leisurely and said to Gallieni, who was leaning back in a chair with his eyes closed, "There is some progress on the military newspaper. General, we need to give it a name."
Gallieni yawned, opened his eyes, and muttered in a dreamy voice: "A name? La Gazette de l'Armement de France?"
Then I felt that the name was too official and that grassroots soldiers might feel distant from it.
"Frontline report?"
He shook his head again. This was not a good idea either. Although it was appropriate, the soldiers would shudder when they saw the word "front line".
After thinking for a while, Gallieni said: "Let's call it the Meritorious Service Report!"
He thought this name was good, as it would publish people and events that had made contributions on the battlefield, which would motivate the soldiers to persevere.
Charles didn't care about that. It didn't matter what the name was. He added softly, "We need 50 printing presses, each costing 4,000 francs."
"Write it down!" Gallieni replied, "We'll share it when the government funds are in place!"
"Yes, General!" replied Charles.
In fact, there is no sharing of the costs, it seems that the military is paying for it all.
As for Charles, what he did was to get something for nothing.
If there is any contribution, it is just a small favor to Kobdo.
You can get equity without spending much money and win people's hearts, so why not do it?
(The picture above shows the 'Triumph' offset printing press, invented in 1907, which can print up to 8,000 copies per hour)
(End of this chapter)
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